Gideon Dove

Gideon arrived on 22 January 2007, a brother for Joel who was 3 years old a week later. Like his brother, Gideon was born at home, and although small 5lb 4 oz all seemed well, he fed although was a sleepy feeder needing little and often. The GP visited and mentioned unusual features around the eyes and the need for a hospital pediatrician check which would be arranged. At a weight check at 11 days old the midwife was concerned as he wasn't gaining thought he could have an infection and sent us to A&E at QMC. That was the start of a roller- coaster that didn't really stop for 2 years.

After a thorough check by a pediatrician she advised us, in a positive way, that she thought Gideon could have Down's Syndrome. Blood tests would be done and as this was a Friday we wouldn't know until the following week. Gideon needed to stay in hospital though due to concern over his weight gain and they inserted a feeding tube to help get milk into him. The next morning we were advised that he had an infection and would need antibiotics which were started along with a battery of other tests including an echo on his heart. Early that afternoon the biggest bomb shell of all landed. Gideon had 2 serious heart conditions would need open heart surgery before a year old to survive and might need another operation before this to help him survive to have open heart surgery. By the time 3 days later we were told he had Down's Syndrome it didn't seem like a big deal as the heart condition had completely taken over.

7 weeks old, with Joel

We spent the next 5 months in and out of hospital with infections and this included emergency surgery at 10 weeks due to complications with his heart. But despite all this he developed, smiling at 10 weeks and
holding his head up by 6 months and sitting at 10 months.
Unfortunately as we got towards the end of 2007 we could see that he was getting weaker and bluer due to his heart and it was almost with relief that on 1 January 2008 we took him to Glenfield in Leicester for open heart surgery on 2 January. Although the surgery went well, he was so weak that we spent 4 weeks recovering in hospital before he was allowed home, even then he had to relearn so many skills smiling, holding up his head and sitting, but by the end of February we were back to where we were before surgery.

Apart from a brief 2 night stay in May we made progress, slow but steady and enjoyed a weeks holiday in Scarborough as a family in the summer. As we got into September he started to get colds again and had a week back in hospital with oxygen to him recover. We thought that wasn't too bad but an infection towards the end of October upset his heart rhythm and he had to be transferred back to Glenfield to be sorted out and put on preventative medicine.

2 1/2 years old making music!

That was now 2 years ago and what a change since then. A week before his 2 birthday he started to crawl and by the summer had an amazing turn of speed, by the Easter after his third birthday he was walking, a little unsteady but walking non the less, and towards the end of August at 3 years and 7 months he started to talk, the 3 + years of makaton signing to him and watching Something Special over and over again paid off and he can now talk and sign to communicate some of his needs.

He is a happy little boy who loves playing rough and tumble with his big brother, charms just about everyone he meets with his smile and has made us his parents so proud at how much he has achieved despite a really rotten start to his life. He now attends the local pre-school
3 mornings and we are looking forward to him starting nursery at the start of 2011.

3 1/2 years old, still making music!

We have been so grateful for the support we have received from Rutland House School for Parents and the Speech Group at Orston he attends and also for the support of family and friends who have accepted Gideon for who he is without any conditions.